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Bakarwal people

The Bakarwal are a nomadic Muslim ethnic group and a sub-group of the larger Gujjar community. They primarily inhabit the Indian Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, where they have been listed as a Scheduled Tribe since 1991. The Gujjar-Bakarwal are among the largest Muslim tribal communities in the region and constitute the third-largest ethnic group in the Indian-administered part of Jammu and Kashmir.

History and origin
Bakarwals and Gujjars are often grouped together as a single social and ethnic community due to their shared ancestry, language, religion, and cultural practices. Both groups speak dialects of Gojri, practice Islam, and follow similar customs in terms of dress, food, and social organization. However, this view is not recognized by the Bakarwals themselves, and there is no historical or traditional evidence supporting such an origin. == Etymology ==
Etymology
The term Bakarwal is an occupational one and is derived from the Gojri/Punjabi or Dogri word Bakari or Bakra meaning goat or sheep, and wal meaning "one who takes care of". ==Religion==
Religion
The Bakarwals are completely Muslim and adhere to the Sunni sect of Islam, similar to other Muslim Gujjar communities. ==Subgroups==
Subgroups
The Bakarwal Gujjars are primarily divided into two major subgroups: Kunhari Bakarwal and Illahiwal Bakarwal. Moreover, Bakarwals, like other Gujjar communities, are also subdivided into numerous sub-clans. Kunhari The Kunhari is a subgroup of Bakarwals who claimed their origin from the Kunar province of Afghanistan. Illahiwal The Illahiwal are those who claimed their origin from the Illahiwal region in the Kohistan and Swat districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. == Demographics ==
Demographics
The Bakarwal nomads are traditionally found throughout the Himalayan regions of India and Pakistan, including parts of Jammu & Kashmir and Azad Kashmir. Himachal Pradesh The Bakarwal nomads are also found in the Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh, which borders Jammu and Kashmir and Tibet. Pakistan In Pakistan, the Bakarwal are primarily found in some areas of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, where they continue their nomadic traditions across mountainous and highland regions. Azad Kashmir In Azad Jammu and Kashmir, the Bakarwal are a nomadic pastoralist community traditionally engaged in the seasonal herding of goats and sheep. They migrate annually across the Pir Panjal and Himalayan mountain ranges in search of grazing pastures, often traveling long distances by foot. Their routes typically span from lowland areas such as Kharian to high-altitude plateaus like Deosai in Gilgit-Baltistan, passing through regions including Muzaffarabad, Garhi Dupatta, and the Neelum Valley. ==Population==
Population
The Bakarwal population in Jammu and Kashmir was 60,724 according to the 2001 Indian census. The 2011 Indian census showed a 6.43% increase in the Bakarwal population, reaching 113,198 in the Jammu and Kashmir region. == Economy ==
Economy
As sheep and goat rearing transhumants, the Bakarwals alternate with the seasons between high and low altitudes in the hills of the Himalayas. From here, it is clear to see that the Bakarwals mainly follow a migration route through the foothills of the Himalayas as they can be found on the Upper Himalayan Range all the way down into the Lower Himalayan Range. == Social status ==
Social status
, the Bakarwal were classified as a Scheduled Tribe under the Indian government's general reservation program of positive discrimination. == Gallery ==
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